Diamond in the Rough
by Beaglicious
Summary: Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without, Chinese proverb. Part Two of the Diamond in the Rough series. SpeedxOFC, undertones of SC. No spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

**Diamond in the Rough**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**A/N: The original inspiration for this fic was the song, "Why, Why, Why," as sung by Billy Currington, but this tale is not a song fic. A heartfelt thanks to all who R&R'd the prequel to this fic, and my apologies for the delay with this second part. The good news is that this story is completely finished, so there will be no delay with updates. This story should be seven or eight parts. The Diamond in the Rough series will probably be about four fics total.**

**Summary: Speed's current girlfriend is trying to change everything about him. Calleigh is there to support him as a friend, but when things change and long-suppressed feelings are revealed, will she still be there? Part Two of the Diamond in the Rough series, follows Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend. SpeedxOFC, undertones of SC. No spoilers.**

**Special thanks to randomwriting for the support and encouragement. Hope this lives up to your expectations. **

"_Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without" – Chinese proverb_

"Timothy, I really think it'd look better if you wore this shirt instead."

Tim Speedle suppressed a sigh and raked his hands through his hair instead. "Kate, we really need to get going. I've already changed shirts for you twice. I'm wearing this one, and that's final."

Tim heard Kate huff behind him and stalk out of the room. He allowed himself to sigh then, knowing that he'd be spending the rest of the evening apologizing if he didn't change. Resigned to his fate, he ripped off the shirt he was wearing and quickly slipped on the one that Kate had thrown on the bed. He wasn't sure what the big deal was, because as far as he could tell, the shirts were identical. But if wearing it made Kate happy and aborted another knock-down drag-out fight, it would be worth his agony.

Tim paused in the doorway, wondering how things with him and Kate had gone sour so quickly. He knew he wasn't the easiest person to deal with, prone as he was to brooding and disappearing into himself for days at a time. Still, Kate had handled it all marvelously until recently, when she'd suddenly decided that Tim needed a complete overhaul. Since then, she had done nothing but pick at Tim, pestering him about everything that she found to be wrong with him, and changing what she could – without consulting him first.

Tim wasn't sure what had precipitated this radical change in Kate, but he hoped it was a passing phase. Normally, he would have walked out on such a situation by now, but he was held back by the memories of how good it had been when he and Kate had first started dating…

"_I was wondering whose bike that was."_

_The soft voice caused Tim's head to jerk up, where he was greeted by the sight of a petite brunette with pale blue eyes and lightly freckled skin, who was staring not at him but at his bike. He vaguely recognized her as someone who worked in the building, but as she wasn't directly connected to the Police Department or the Crime Lab, he had no idea who she was._

_She continued talking, seemingly unaware that he was staring and unable to speak. "You ever give people rides on that beauty, or do you keep her all to yourself?"_

_Tim smirked, barely managing to suppress a wry smile. He'd found that while most girls were attracted to the _idea_ of a guy on a motorcycle, they were too scared to actually climb on. He'd ended more than one relationship when the girl had told him that his bike was too dangerous and that she'd "feel better" knowing that he wasn't riding it. Of course the bike was dangerous! But it was also fast, and it could carry Tim away from everything when life at the Crime Lab got to be too much. The bike came with Tim, no exceptions. So far, there'd only been one other girl who'd shown any unsolicited interest in riding his bike, but he tried not to think about that day anymore. Seeing her daily, watching her green eyes sparkle and her blonde hair shine, haunted him enough without recalling their one ride together on his bike many months ago._

"_Occasionally," he finally grumbled, still wary. _

"_Is right now occasionally?" Her grin widened, and Tim found himself smiling back at her._

"_Have you ever ridden on a bike before?" he asked. The girl took his question as a sign that she'd won and walked over to Tim._

"_Yeah," she said, a hint of seduction in her voice. "But usually I'm the one driving."_

_Tim threw her his helmet and smirked. "Don't push it, sweetheart."_

Kate had been thrilled when he'd taken the bike out of the city limits and tore down a stretch of flat roadway along the coast. Her grip around his waist had tightened, naturally, but she'd also yelled _faster_ into his ear. After that day, they'd fallen into an easy relationship. Kate was incredibly laid-back, not demanding inordinate amounts of Tim's time and refreshingly understanding when his job required late hours. She also respected Tim's need for alone time, something that Tim appreciated far more than he let on. His need for space, privacy and quiet had stalled more than one potentially serious relationship. In fact, she was so laid-back that it was Tim who invited her to stay over at his place late one night, something that he'd never asked a girl to do before.

Kate had laughed and kissed him on the nose. "Sorry, Timothy. Maybe later?" He'd watched her walk away then, wondering exactly how to define their relationship, another first for him. Usually it was the girl who insisted on a commitment, demanding seriousness before Tim was ready or able to give it.

Kate's attitude surprised Tim so much that he found himself pushing _her _for more. It had taken not a small amount of convincing on his behalf to convince Kate that she could actually stay at his place overnight.

"_You know, Timothy," she began that night, "I make it a policy of mine not to stay over at a guy's place unless things are really serious. I don't want this to turn into a quasi-state of living together before you or I are ready for that type of commitment just because it's easier to spend the night than drive home."_

_Tim's arm, already draped across Kate's waist, tightened its hold. "I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't, Kate. I think you are well aware of how much I value my privacy."_

"_My point exactly," Kate interrupted. "I'm not about to have you blaming me for invading your space."_

"_But I'm ready for you to invade my space," Tim protested. When Kate raised one perfectly sculpted eyebrow and regarded him dubiously, he continued, "At least, occasionally. Kate, I enjoy the time we spend together, and I do care about you. I don't like sleeping alone after you've gone and waking up to an empty bed."_

"_I don't know," Kate said, not convinced. "I just don't think I'm ready to take that step yet."_

"_Kate, it's just one night I'm asking for here. You don't even have to bring over your toothbrush. But just once I'd like to wake up with you in my arms." Tim snuggled up closer to Kate, who absently ran her fingers through his dark curls as she considered his argument._

"_Okay," she finally relented. "But just for tonight." _

A week later, Kate was still there, and two weeks later Tim officially invited her to move in with him. He'd expected another protest on her part, and had all his arguments prepared, but Kate had willingly agreed to the arrangement.

Now six months into living together, Tim found himself questioning everything he thought he'd known about Kate. At first it was little things, like a new lamp in the living room or a different picture on the wall. Kate then moved onto his closet, adding clothes that she'd bought for Tim while putting away those that she didn't care for. It was as though once she knew that Tim was smitten with her she had the power to rearrange his entire life. And it was true, to some extent. Kate had played cat-and-mouse with Tim for so long that he felt like he'd really accomplished something by having her move in with him. But now…it was like Tim didn't even recognize his own life anymore. Kate had taken it over, so slowly and so stealthily that Tim hadn't even realized that he'd been beaten until it was too late.

Tim shook his head and headed out into the den where Kate was waiting. There was no sense in brooding over it now. They had a dinner date with two of Kate's friends, and turning her down this late in the game would only create a ruckus he wasn't ready to deal with. Still, Tim couldn't believe what he was wearing, pressed khakis and a golf polo – tucked in – with a sleek brown leather belt that matched his new shoes. Tim couldn't remember the last time he'd worn such a horrendous get-up. But this was the look that Kate liked on him, and Tim couldn't bring himself to say no.

_TBC…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Diamond in the Rough**

"_The worst lies are the lies we tell ourselves" – Richard Bach_

Tim snuck out early the next morning, still put out over the night before and unwilling to risk an early morning confrontation with Kate over his choice of work clothes, something that he refused to budge on, at least for the moment. He was looking forward to a couple of hours of blissful silence in Trace, and was absorbed in a fiber analysis when a sweet southern drawl lured him back to reality.

"Hey, Tim."

Tim closed his eyes briefly before raising them to look Calleigh, stopping just before making eye contact. He wasn't ready to face her this morning, not after what had happened last night, not after what had almost happened between _them_ several months earlier. But Calleigh was his friend, possibly even his best friend, so he mumbled a morose "Hey, Cal," before returning to his microscope.

Calleigh remained silent, waiting until Tim raised his eyes once more to meet hers. In that instant, Tim knew that it was just a matter of time before Calleigh pulled the entire story out of him. Despite their close friendship (or perhaps because of it) Tim had resisted telling Calleigh about Kate. But as luck would have it, Calleigh had walked out of the building just as Tim and Kate had sped off that first day.

"_Who was that?" She asked him the next morning._

"_Who was who?"_

"_That girl you took for a ride on your bike yesterday?"_

_Tim stuttered then, unable to form a coherent sentence. He stared at his feet and finally mumbled, "Just some girl who works for the city. She was – ah – admiring my bike and convinced me to take her for a ride."_

"_That's great, Tim."_

_Surprised, Tim looked up into Calleigh's eyes. They were bright, and she was smiling, even if the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. There was just the slightest bit of hurt in them, an amount so miniscule that anyone but Tim would have missed it. But he'd seen that hurt magnified in her eyes months earlier, and saw traces of it in his own eyes every morning._

"_Cal, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to see…"_

_She cut him off. "See what, Tim? It's okay, really. There's nothing to apologize for."_

_Tim mentally rolled his eyes, but knew better than to press the subject. Calleigh had decided that whatever had or might have happened between them was a closed issue, and Tim knew that there was no point in arguing with her._

Tim had avoided Calleigh for the next few days after that, feeling somewhat guilty over what she had seen, although he wasn't sure why. After their _talk_ where he and Calleigh had agreed to be just friends and had sealed the deal with a handshake, the subject of _them _had never come up again. Of course, Tim reasoned, it was hard to talk about something that had never happened in the first place. Calleigh seemed more or less okay with their agreement, although it was often hard to tell with her. Tim found that the more stone-cold her face went, the more her emotions where whirling about inside her, and in that aspect they were quite alike – both presenting a façade of normalcy even when their lives were anything but. They were both also incredibly stubborn, and both parties seemed intent on denying that there was any attraction between the two of them, even if the tight feeling in their chests was telling them otherwise.

Unable to hide Kate from Calleigh, Tim ended up confiding in her after much prodding. He and Calleigh were close friends after all, and Tim had never before had someone like Calleigh that he could talk to. His apprehension about the subject of Kate lessened a few months into the relationship, when Calleigh started seeing someone as well, although Calleigh's excitement over her dates seemed half-hearted at best. It was during those times, when he talked about Kate and Calleigh mentioned Jimmy, that Tim was almost able to convince himself that they'd made the right decision, even it had been more Calleigh's decision than his. He had had his chance, had had the opportunity to decide, and he'd put it off. Not twenty-four hours later, Calleigh had made the decision for them both, and Tim had been left with no choice but to grudgingly agree.

Whatever lay unspoken between them, Tim was especially grateful to Calleigh when things started to go so wrong with him and Kate. Calleigh was beyond sympathetic, offering Tim insight into the female mind without judging his actions, and always taking his side in the end.

Today though, Tim hesitated. Calleigh had enough on her plate without him using her as his personal therapist.

"Just more of the same old shit, Cal," he finally said.

"Oh, Tim," Calleigh said, pulling up a chair beside him and placing her hand on his back. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, but all it did was heighten Tim's senses and make him question – again – if he and Calleigh had made the right decision after all. It was too much of a reminder of an afternoon when Calleigh had had more than just her hand pressed against Tim's back. Calleigh seemed to realize this too, after awhile, and eventually removed her hand.

"What'd she make you wear last night?" Calleigh teased, knowing that Tim despised Kate's attempts to clean up his wardrobe more than anything else.

"A knit polo shirt and khakis," Tim moaned, sinking his head down into his arms, which were crossed on the table.

Calleigh laughed, producing a rich and throaty sound that never failed to restore Tim's spirit, even if it was often at his expense.

"It's not funny," he growled, knowing that Calleigh wasn't fooled by his gruff demeanor.

Calleigh turned serious then, voicing the questions that had been rolling around in Tim's head for weeks. "How far are you going to let this go, Tim?"

Tim's defenses immediately went up. He may not have been totally pleased with how the relationship was going, but he hated even more to be wrong. "It's not that big of a deal, really," he said. "So she wants me to dress a little nicer. Where's the harm in that? It's not like my wardrobe couldn't use some improvement."

"Tim, you're fine just the way you are. And if she doesn't like that then maybe she should find someone else. Trying to change you, to mold you into what she thinks you should be, is only going to make both of you miserable."

"It's just a polo, Calleigh."

"It was just a new lamp at first, Tim. Tell me, how much of your original furniture is left in your apartment?"

"Calleigh, you're being ridiculous."

Calleigh narrowed her eyes and stared at Tim. "Maybe I am. But you can only try and push someone into a mold that they're not meant to fit in for so long before something breaks. How far are you going to let it go, Tim? Your furniture? Your clothes? What you eat? Your hobbies? Your bike? Your friends?"

Calleigh's voice rose an octave on the last two items, and despite the anger in her eyes, Tim also saw a bit of panic as well. His own anger instantly dissipated, and he reached over to take Calleigh's hand in both of his, choosing to ignore the slight gasp that escaped from her lips when their hands touched.

"Cal, if there's anything I'm certain of, it's that I will never give up my bike or my friends – for anyone. You have to believe me, Cal. Our friendship means too much to me to ever let it go."

Tim saw tears form at the edge of Calleigh's eyes, and it was all he could do not take her in his arms. A moment later the tears passed, and a familiar hard look returned to Calleigh's face. She refused to cry – not in front of Tim and certainly not at work. Anger, on the other hand, was an emotion that she could deal with, although she inwardly cursed herself at the acidic words that came out of her mouth.

"I hope you're right, Tim." Her tone left no question as to whether or not she believed he was. Shock registered on Tim's face, and his grip on Calleigh's hand loosened just enough that she was able to jerk her hand away.

Tim glared back at Calleigh. If this was how she wanted to do things, that was fine with him, and he answered her comment with equal anger. "It's just a few changes, Calleigh. It's nothing to worry about."

Calleigh stood up and turned to go, firing one last acrid remark over her shoulder before leaving. "If it's not a big deal, Tim, then why are you in such a snit over it?"

Calleigh's words stayed with Tim for the rest of the day, crowding the already full space in his head. He knew she had a point, but at the same time, he didn't think that any of Kate's requested changes were that unreasonable.

Time got little else accomplished that morning, and when lunch time rolled around he took his bike for a spin, peeling down the same stretch of coastal highway that he'd first taken Kate on. But no matter how much he opened up the throttle, he couldn't escape his thoughts, and those thoughts always led back to one person – Calleigh.

_TBC…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Diamond in the Rough**

It was late that evening when Tim finally returned home, and he could feel the muscles in his shoulders tensing as he unlocked the front door. He knew that it was time to get this mess with Kate worked out, one way or another.

Fortunately, Kate was still awake, sitting on the couch with her legs curled under her, sipping at some tea and flipping idly through the channels. "You're home!" she said, putting down her tea and patting the couch cushion next to her. "Come sit down with me."

Tim did as he was asked, slumping down into the couch cushion as if he wished that it would swallow him up whole. Kate curled up next to his side, and Tim obliged her by placing his arm around her shoulders.

"I missed you today," she said in a low voice, absently running her fingers across Tim's abdomen. Tim reached out with his free hand and placed it over hers. He needed to concentrate, and as his conversation skills regarding big-important-talks-with-the-significant-other were already poor to begin with, he didn't need the added distraction of Kate's seduction.

"We need to talk," he began.

"About what?" Kate had intertwined her fingers with his, and was caressing his thumb with her own.

"About last night for starters, but more importantly about things in general."

"Things in general?"

Tim repressed a sigh and retreated briefly into himself, recalling a conversation with Calleigh not too long ago.

"_If you're going to fight," she'd said, "stick to one topic and be specific. Fighting about unnamed generalities does neither party any good, but it can cause a lot of damage."_

"Well, actually just one thing specifically, but it's a pretty big thing."

"And that thing would be…?" Kate wasn't making this easy for him as she snuggled up closer to him and squeezed his hands, tempting him to just forget about the entire conversation.

"Your need to change me."

"Change you?"

Tim shifted in his seat. Kate's parroting was wearing on him, and he wanted nothing more than to be able to stuff all his thoughts back inside himself. But Calleigh's words from that morning were still ringing in his ears, so he pressed on.

"_How far are you going to let this go, Tim? Your bike? Your friends?"_

"Yeah, Kate, change me. Look, I know I'm not the best dresser and my interior design skills suck, but that doesn't mean that you can just waltz in here and totally redo my whole life without consulting me."

"Timothy, you're the one who invited me to live with you."

_Damn. _ He hated it when she was so level-headed, and he hated that he'd been the one to recklessly pursue her and still wanted - still needed - her badly even in spite of recent events.

"I know, Kate. But it would be nice if you would at least ask me before you remodeled my entire life. And for the record, I despise knit polos, so please don't ever make me wear one again."

Kate laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "You're this upset over a polo?"

Tim gritted his teeth. She was making him sound ridiculous. "No, I'm upset over the way you act when I protest any of these changes. You – you've just become so damn unreasonable about everything."

_And there was the accusation. _

Calleigh had told him time and time again to avoid statements like, _"You are so..."_ because their accusatory nature always put the other person on the defensive. She was not going to be pleased when he relayed this conversation to her tomorrow. He could see her shaking her head, watching the way her golden hair shone under the light, and saying, "Tim, what are we going to do with you? Didn't you listen to anything I said?"

Tim did listen to what Calleigh said, more than she knew. He clung to every word that fell out of her mouth. He just wasn't so good with the follow-through.

_Why does everything with you always come back to Cal?_

Kate stiffened in his arms, pulling Tim out of his thoughts and back into the present situation.

"Maybe we need a break," she said coldly. It was Tim's turn to stiffen. Instinctively, he pulled her closer to him.

"Kate, babe, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean it."

"But you said it."

"I say a lot of stupid things, Kate. You know that."

Kate remained silent while Tim racked his brain for more to say. Kate was reserved by nature, not prone to chatting aimlessly. It was something Tim liked, except during times like this, when Kate withdrew into her self, refusing to speak, and Tim found himself unable to keep the conversation (or argument) flowing.

_Are you sure you like the silence? Because I know a certain blond who tends to be rather chatty, and you don't mind that at all._

_Cal's different._

_How so?_

_Because she's Cal._

_You sure do think about her a lot._

_I spend the majority of my waking hours working with her. Of course I'm going to think about her._

_Hey, pal. I've seen your thoughts about her, and they are definitely not work-related._

_Shut up._

Tim groaned and lowered his head, trying to shut out the voices. He wasn't sure when he'd started talking to himself like this, but he genuinely wondered if he was going crazy. If he wasn't insane _yet_, the constant bickering of the two voices in his head would eventually send him over the edge.

Tim started back-tracking. He had been ready for this conversation to end before it even began, and now he was in full-blown retreat. "Kate, I'm _sorry_. Let's just forget about it, okay? You know I'm going to say stupid things, no matter how hard I try not to. All I'm asking for is that you ask me before you make-over my entire life. You know I'm going to say okay ninety percent of the time."

Kate sighed. "Look, Timothy. You're a great guy. But you're definitely a little rough around the edges, and all I'm trying to do is polish you up some. You have a lot of potential under that rough exterior of yours, but if this is going to be a serious relationship, you're going to have to change some things."

Tim exploded into a quiet rage. "Look, Kate," he spat out through gritted teeth. "This _rough exterior _is who I am, all the way down to the core of my being. I'm _never_ going to be someone who wears polos and khakis and plays golf with my country club buddies after work. I'm not your all-American guy, Kate, and if that's what you're trying to change me into then you're fighting a losing battle. I can't be carefree and fun and amuse myself with trivial entertainment. I see too much of the dark underbelly of life at work, and it affects me. It flows over into who I am as a person. I'm always going to be that brooding guy who rides a motorcycle and looks just dangerous enough that you know your parents would never approve. Look, Kate, I'm willing to do a lot for you. You can rearrange this entire apartment to your heart's content and I won't care. You can drag me along to your fancy dinner parties and I'll go, because I know it's important to you. You can even dress me up in fancy clothes, but it's not going to change who I am, and one of us, if not both, is going to end up disappointed. I'm just not that kind of guy, and that's something you need to come to terms with."

Tim's anger dissipated as quickly as it had appeared. Kate remained silent, and Tim forced himself to remain silent as well. It was her turn to speak. Kate let out a long sigh and then spoke, a resigned tone to her voice. "We _definitely _need to take a break. Maybe a permanent one."

"That seems a little drastic, doesn't it?" Tim asked. He was thoroughly confused.

"Not if you're going to be completely unwilling to compromise on anything."

"Kate, I _just _told you that I was willing. All I'm saying is that you can change my exterior all you like, but it's not going to change who I am on the inside."

Kate's next words were laced with ice. "Then I guess that's it. If you're not willing to change for me Timothy, there's no point in us continuing this relationship. I thought that if I accepted you for who you were in the beginning, then eventually you would be willing to change. But I guess I was wrong."

"Fine," Tim said, standing up. Part of him was wanting to beg her to stay, but his rational mind knew that if she stayed then it would only be a matter of time before they had this argument all over again. He grabbed his jacket and keys and headed for the door. "You can stay here until you're ready to leave. I'm going to Eric's."

"Tim, this is your apartment."

"You don't need to be out by yourself at this time of night trying to find somewhere to stay." Tim walked out the door empty-handed and shut it behind him before Kate could say anything else. He had more than one set of spare clothes at work.

TBC…


	4. Chapter 4

**Diamond in the Rough**

Tim hopped on his bike and sped off into the night driving just a little too fast, considering that the roads were still wet with rain from earlier that evening. He needed to get out some of his anger before he showed up on Delko's doorstep. Thirty minutes later, however, he found himself in Calleigh's neighborhood. Tim pulled off to the side of the road and killed the engine, wondering how on earth he'd ended up there.

_Maybe it's because it's Calleigh you want to run to, not Delko._

_Nonsense. I just took the wrong exit off the freeway._

_You don't even have to get on the freeway to get to Delko's._

_I needed to blow off some steam._

_How convenient that you finally calmed down once you reached Calleigh's._

Tim briefly considered going to Calleigh's house, knocking on her door and begging her reconsider their _arrangement_, but he quickly decided against it. He was pretty sure that Calleigh was still seeing Jimmy, and more than that, he knew he couldn't face Calleigh when his emotions were in such turmoil. There was no telling what would happen, and Tim wasn't ready to take that risk, even though such hesitations had cost him dearly months earlier.

Tim made it three blocks away from Calleigh's street before the voices started up again.

_Running away again, are we?_

_No. I'm not running away. I'm just waiting for a better time – I need to cool off some more, and Cal doesn't deserve to have me show up on her doorstep unannounced, declaring my undying love for her when I'm not even sure that's how I feel._

_Hmm…remember what happened when you waited the last time? _

_That was different._

_You really enjoy using that excuse, don't you?_

_There are other things to consider – like the fact that she's my co-worker, and the fact that she specifically asked that our relationship remain platonic. _

_Oh yeah, she's definitely only interested in you in a platonic way, pal. The only reason she took the offense in that situation is because you were dragging your heels. She was willing to take the risk, but only if you were on board one hundred percent._

The voices were driving him insane, and there was only one way to make them stop. Tim wheeled his bike around in a large intersection, heading back in the direction of Calleigh's. It was time to make a stand, whether he was ready to or not.

Tim pulled up in front of Calleigh's house, noting that her car was the only one parked in the driveway. That observation was promising for two reasons – one, it meant that Jimmy wasn't there, and two, it meant that Calleigh wasn't at Jimmy's, a thought that made him slightly sick.

_Jealous are we?_

_For the last time, shut up. I'm here on her doorstep, aren't I?_

Tim spent a moment on Calleigh's front stoop, scuffing his feet and trying to come up with a plan. Finally deciding that his deliberations were only making things worse, he took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

Calleigh opened the door a moment later, slightly breathless and obviously suppressing a laugh. The smile on her face melted away when she saw Tim.

"Tim? What are you doing here?"

"Cal, we need to talk. Can I come in?"

Calleigh looked over her shoulder briefly and then returned her focus to Tim. "Um, Tim, now's not such a great time."

"Cal, what I need to say can't wait. I don't want it to wait." Tim didn't wait for Calleigh to protest, the words spilling forth from his mouth like a busted dam. "Cal, I know we agreed to just be friends, but I've always known that it would never be enough for me. This thing with Kate…it was just a pathetic attempt to suppress my feelings for you. It was a disaster in the making, and I'm so sorry I put you through it. But it's over now, Cal. Kate and I broke up. And as much as I wanted to stay away from here tonight, wanted to give myself time to think things through, I knew that I didn't want to spend another moment without you. Cal, I love you, and I hope you can forgive me for hesitating earlier. Just one more chance, Cal. That's all I'm asking for."

"Tim…"

An unmistakably masculine voice cut through the air. "Cal? Who are you talking to?"

Calleigh grimaced. "Tim," she whispered. "I told you this wasn't a good time. You really need to go, ok?"

Tim stared blankly at Calleigh for a moment, not processing what was happening. It was Calleigh who brought him back to his senses; Calleigh who took his hand in hers and begged, "Please, Tim, just go. We'll talk tomorrow, ok?"

Tim was too numb to speak, but somehow he was able pull his hand from Calleigh's and turn away from her, shuffling back to his bike as his brain tried to catch up with what had just happened. His mind was replaying the same phrase over and over again – _Cal? Cal? Who are you talking to? _He'd thought that only he called her Cal, had thought that it was something special between them. Apparently not. Apparently, he had been wrong about a lot of things.

Tim sped away from Calleigh's house, suddenly desperate to put as much distance between himself and Calleigh as possible. Tim knew there was only one place left for him with the state that he was in. With a heavy heart, he made his way down familiar streets towards the crime lab.

DITRDITRDITRDITRDITRDITRDITRDITRDITRDITRDITRDITRDITRDITRDITR

Tim awoke early the next morning, his back sore from sleeping on the break room couch. This only served to darken his already foul mood, and after banging around the coffee pot a few times, he headed off to trace, turning off his phone and pager as he did so. He was in no mood to deal with anyone.

He didn't expect Calleigh to stop by. She'd said that they would talk, but he figured she was probably just saying that to get him off her porch. What did they need to talk about? All it would serve at this point would be to rub salt in his wounds, and he could do that well enough on his own, thank you. So when Calleigh stopped by that afternoon around four, he was surprised but not pleased to see her – especially not after the conversation he'd overheard earlier that day between Valera and another tech from DNA on one of his few excursions out of the lab.

"_Did you hear about Calleigh's big news?" _

"_No. I haven't seen her today. What's going on?"_

"_Well, apparently she and Jimmy…"_

_Valera's story was cut short as she and the other girl disappeared through a doorway. Tim was too shocked to follow after them. He didn't need to hear the rest of the story to know what had happened. Calleigh was engaged, and he was definitely not her fiancé._

"Tim?" she asked, stepping into the trace lab and closing the door behind her. "Is everything ok? You didn't show up this morning. Everybody's worried about you."

"Uh-huh," he mumbled into his microscope, refusing to look up. He didn't want to see the sympathy in her green eyes, didn't want her to catch his eyes flicking over to her left hand.

"Tim, there's something I think you need to know…"

"Calleigh, if it's about you and Jimmy getting engaged, then I really don't, okay? Look, I know you want to try and smooth things out between us, but there's really nothing to say. Can you just forget what I said last night? It was stupid, okay? I was just overreacting, I guess. It's not like I really meant it." His last sentence was a bold-face lie, but if he avoided looking at Calleigh, he thought he might be able to swing it.

"Is that true, Tim?"

Calleigh's soft-spoken words caused Tim to look up, and he was surprised to see the beginnings of tears in her eyes. Tim fumbled for words. He had not been expecting Calleigh's question.

"What? That I just want to forget what happened?"

"No…the part where you said you didn't mean what you said."

"I – uh…" With Calleigh's eyes boring directly into his own, there was no way he could repeat his lie a second time.

Calleigh continued. "Because Jimmy and I broke up last night, and a lot of the reasons behind that break-up had to do with you, and if you didn't mean what you said then I've just gone and given myself a double-dose of heartbreak." Calleigh looked away then, tapping a finger to each eye in an attempt to stifle the tears.

Tim took a moment to process Calleigh's latest words and subtly checked out her bare left hand before asking the question foremost on his mind.

"So you're not engaged?"

"No! Honestly, Tim, where would you even get such an idea?"

Tim managed to look somewhat sheepish before asking his next question. "And you aren't seeing Jimmy any more?"

"No."

"And you're not seeing him anymore because of me?"

Calleigh wrung her hands before answering. "Kinda….yeah."

"What did I have to do with it?"

Calleigh's discomfort increased. "I don't know exactly. I mean, we're just friends, right? At my own insistence…although you agreed, remember? I just – I just couldn't give myself fully to a relationship with Jimmy – or anyone else, for that matter. It took me a long time to realize that I still had…I don't know…feelings for you, and that until I dealt with them I wouldn't be ready to see anyone else."

"So you want those feelings to go away?"

"Yes – no – I don't know, Tim! Why are you asking me all these questions?"

Tim stood up and walked towards where Calleigh hesitated in the entryway to the lab. "Because I want to make sure you're not going to clock me with your gun when I kiss you," he said, in the instant before his lips captured hers.

Calleigh struggled for a moment as her rational mind told her that kissing a coworker – at work – was definitely not a good idea. But Tim didn't back off, so after a moment she decided to throw caution to the wind and kiss him back with all the passion she'd been restraining for the last few months.

Tim uttered a soft groan when he felt Calleigh yield underneath him, and one hand came up to cradle her face while his other arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her against him. Calleigh was unaware of her feet moving, but eventually she noticed that she was sandwiched between the wall of the trace lab and Tim, and that it felt very, very good.

After a while, Tim pulled away from her, and Calleigh's eyes snapped open to find out why he'd stopped. His mouth was still just inches from hers, and his dark brown eyes were searching hers, looking for an answer. "Is – is this okay?" he asked, his voice was low and husky. A small smile tugged at Calleigh's lips, and she answered Tim not with words but by pulling his head towards hers until they were kissing once more. It was only then that Calleigh felt his body relax and soften against her own. Calleigh put everything she had into the kiss, anything to prove to Tim that yes, this was very much okay.

Tim's lips eventually moved downward, kissing Calleigh wherever her skin was exposed – her face, her neck, her shoulders. Calleigh's breath came in ragged hitches as she lifted her head upwards to expose more of her neck for Tim. The only thought that was now running through her mind was that if Tim made her feel this good just by kissing her neck, then how good would it feel when he –

"Let's get out of here," she whispered hastily.

"Uh-uh," Tim mumbled, his lips still dancing across Calleigh's collarbone.

This answer surprised Calleigh, and she managed to worm one arm in between her and Tim's bodies and push until he finally looked up at her.

"What do you mean, 'uh-uh?' We certainly can't stay here, Tim. And it's almost time to go home, and since we have no cases – something you'd know if you'd bothered to show up this morning – no one's going to miss us."

Tim managed a small smile at the anger that darkened Calleigh's eyes. "Cal, I meant it when I said I loved you. I really do. But I've already screwed this thing between us up once, and I don't intend for it to happen again. So the only way I'm leaving here with you is if you agree to go on a date with me. You've given me a second chance, Cal, and I'm determined to do it right this time around. Believe me, it's already taken a hell of a lot of restrain on my part not to throw you down on the floor right here and make love to you until we're both senseless."

Calleigh felt her insides melt. The very idea of making love to Tim, of feeling his lean, hard body on top of hers was intoxicating. Hearing him talk about it was even more so. Calleigh writhed unconsciously against Tim as she considered what he'd said. "But if I'm the one who's giving you the second chance, shouldn't I get to have a say?"

Tim leaned against Calleigh to whisper his last remark directly into her ear. "Believe me, babe, when it comes time, you'll definitely get your say." The tone of his voice left no doubt as to what he was implying, and when Tim pulled away from her he smirked at the surprised look on her face. "Come on, Cal, I know there's a southern belle hiding in there somewhere that's just dying to be wined and dined. Let's go – I know the perfect place." Tim grabbed Calleigh's hand and pulled her after him, and Calleigh had no choice but to follow.

TBC…


	5. Chapter 5

**Diamond in the Rough**

**A/N: My apologies for the delay, and my thanks to all who have reviewed!**

Half an hour later, Tim and Calleigh were standing in front of a building that had seen better days. Calleigh's arms were crossed, and she was giving Tim a doubtful look.

"Sorry, Tim. There's just no way this place's claim of _authentic_ Cajun food is actually true. We're in _Miami_. If it was Cuban, I might believe you. But Cajun? No way."

Tim smirked good-naturedly at Calleigh. "Do you not believe me? I've eaten here, Cal, I know."

"You wouldn't know real Cajun if it hit you upside the head. You're from New York, Tim."

"Just trust me, okay?" The serious look on Tim's face appeared to be asking her to trust him about more than just the restaurant, so Calleigh nodded. Tim breathed a sigh of relief, then opened the door and ushered Calleigh through it, placing his hand on her lower back as he did so. Once inside, Tim's hand found hers, and he led Calleigh over to the bar.

"Hey, Joe!" he shouted at the bartender.

Joe turned around and smiled when he saw Tim. "Tim!" he cried, making his way out of the barn to clasp him in a warm hug. "How are you?"

"Not too bad," Tim answered, and then gestured to Calleigh. "This is Calleigh."

Joe gave Tim a look of approval before turning his charm on Calleigh. "It's a pleasure to meet you," Calleigh said, holding out her hand.

"The pleasure's all mine," Joe said, ignoring the hand and placing his hands on Calleigh's shoulders while laying a quick kiss on each cheek.

Tim's eyes darkened, and he growled, "Watch it, Joe." Joe looked at Tim and laughed.

"Oh, you've got it bad, haven't you?" He continued to laugh as he led the couple to a small booth. Once Calleigh and Tim were seated, he clasped his hands together.

"Welcome to my humble little restaurant," he began, his light bayou accent suddenly noticeable. He paused briefly, and that was when Tim interrupted.

"You better make it good tonight, Joe. Calleigh is a Big Easy girl."

"Wonderful!" Joe exclaimed, smiling largely at Calleigh. "An authentic Cajun. I can tell by the look on your face that you're skeptical, so allow me to convince you otherwise. No menus tonight!" Joe bustled away then, and Calleigh looked over at Tim and laughed.

"Where on earth did you find this place, Tim?" she asked.

Tim shook his head and nuzzled Calleigh's neck. He'd surprised her by sliding into the same side of the booth as her, but Calleigh was rapidly discovering that there was a lot about Tim that surprised her. In the secluded corner of the darkened restaurant, Tim leisurely trailed his kisses up Calleigh's neck, where he commenced to whispering in her ear.

"Did I ever tell you about the day that I finally realized how I felt about you?" he asked.

Because Tim's body was to the outside of the booth, his back blocked nearly any view of Calleigh from the restaurant. Tim was well aware of this and took full advantage of the fact, allowing his hand to reach across to Calleigh's waist and rest there, while one or two errant fingers slid under the hem of her shirt and rested casually on her stomach. Calleigh could feel her entire body flush at Tim's touch. She had never been one to be much for public displays of affection, feeling them to be rather crass, but there was something so sweet about Tim's behavior that made it seem innocent rather than lewd.

"What day was that?"

Tim opened his mouth to answer, but Joe's arrival with a bottle of wine halted the conversation.

An hour later, Calleigh groaned and pushed away her plate. "I'm stuffed," she announced, looking over at Tim and smiling. "You were right. I'm impressed."

"Would I ever lead you astray, Cal?" Tim teased, the joy on Calleigh's face mirroring his own.

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It wasn't much later that evening when Tim followed Calleigh's car into her driveway. Calleigh shut off her engine and trotted over to Tim before he even finished taking his helmet off.

"Thank you for the lovely evening," she told him, placing her hands on his hips. "I had a really good time."

"You're welcome," Tim said, leaning down to give Calleigh a quick kiss on the lips. Calleigh snaked her arms around Tim's waist then and pulled him to her, deepening the kiss as she did so.

It was several minutes before the couple separated, and Calleigh strained to make out Tim's face in the darkness. "Do you want to come in?" she asked while not so subtly running her fingernails up and down his back.

Tim gave Calleigh a wistful grin and shook his head. "Better not," he said, then sighed. "Does this conversation sound familiar?"

Calleigh smiled sadly. "Too familiar," she agreed, leaning into Tim and resting her head against his chest. "I just wish I'd gotten a different answer this time around."

"I know, babe," Tim said, dropping a quick kiss on her head as he pulled her close. "Me too."

"Then why don't you come in?" Calleigh persisted.

"Cal, a lot has happened in the last twenty-four hours – to both of us - and I just think we need some time to process it."

"I've been 'processing' us ever since you took me for that bike ride all those months ago."

"Cal?" Calleigh raised her head and met Tim's eyes, and even in the faint light, there was no denying the love in them. "Cal, I love you. I really do. And I have no intention of walking away from this relationship, so please don't take my refusal to come in as a sign that I'm not totally committed to making us work. I just really feel a need to do this the right way, so that when our grandchildren ask us how we met I can honestly tell them that I courted you properly, as irresistible as you may have been."

"Grandchildren?" Calleigh laughed. "Really, Tim, don't you think that's a ways off?"

"Perhaps, but I'm completely serious. This isn't some fling for me, Cal. If it was, we wouldn't still be standing out here in the driveway talking. As it is, I'm barely able to deny you now."

Tim leaned down and kissed Calleigh on the mouth then, leaving no doubt in her mind that he was telling the truth. Calleigh knew that with a bit more finagling and flirting on her behalf, she could probably convince Tim to stay. But there'd been something in his eyes when he was pleading his case to her, something that told her that he put a great deal of conviction into what he was saying, and she just couldn't bring herself to pit his body against his mind.

"Okay," Calleigh finally agreed when he pulled away. "But don't keep me waiting too long."

"As if I could," Tim said with a smile, kissing Calleigh one last time on the forehead before sliding out of her grasp. Calleigh let him go, hugging herself as she watched him climb back on his bike. Her body already missed his warmth, and she shivered despite the balmy weather. Calleigh stood in the driveway and watched Tim until his taillight disappeared around the curve of the road. She gave a content sigh and headed into the house, slightly giddy over her date and excited about her future with Tim. But due to events that were soon to transpire, it would be months before she could think about the evening without weeping...

TBC…


	6. Chapter 6

**Diamond in the Rough**

**A/N: This is the final chapter for this fic, but not the end of Tim and Calleigh's journey. Many, many sincere thanks to all the readers, and especially to the reviewers.**

"_True love doesn't have a happy ending, because true love never ends.  
Letting go is one way of saying I love you." – Author Unknown_

By an unspoken yet mutual agreement, Calleigh and Tim steered clear of each other the next day at work. It wasn't that they didn't want to see each other; rather, it was a desire to remain professional while at work and to prevent another episode like the one the day before. As enjoyable as that incident may have been, both Calleigh and Tim knew that pulling away from such an encounter a second time wouldn't be as easy.

Calleigh's excitement was well-hidden in her usual cheerful demeanor, so it was the normally reserved Tim who had a harder time containing his joy. Delko made more than one comment during the day, usually along the lines of, "Was that a smile I just saw on your face? What's going on?" Unfortunately for Delko, the jabs only served to wipe the smile off Tim's face and replace it with his usual scowl. "Now there's the Speed I know," Delko would say, chuckling to himself. "What's so hot with Kate that you can't keep it to yourself?" The mention of Kate would only deepen Tim's frown, much to Delko's delight. "It's okay to smile every now and then, Speed," Delko would continue. "You of all people could certainly use the practice."

By five o'clock that afternoon, Tim's patience was worn thin – both with Delko's good-natured ribbing and with not seeing Calleigh. He'd just thrown the last of his gear in his locker and had slammed it shut, and was reaching down to grab his phone off his belt to call Calleigh when it rang. He didn't recognize the number.

"Speed."

"Tim?"

"Yes?"

"Tim, this is Mallory, Kate's friend?"

Tim shut his eyes and pressed his forehead to his locker. Kate's best friend, Mallory, tried his patience even on a good day. "Hi, Mallory."

"Tim, have you talked to Kate today?"

The question surprised Tim. Mallory and Kate were inseparable, and he would have assumed that Kate's first call after he'd walked out two nights earlier would have been to her. He wasn't about to break the news to Mallory, knowing that it would only serve to entrap him in a conversation he didn't want to have. Mallory had really liked Tim, and he knew that there would be not a small amount of convincing on her part for them to get back together.

"Nope."

"Oh." Mallory's voice took on a small and hollow quality that froze Tim's blood. "She's missing, then, I suppose."

Tim's body went rigid. "What do you mean, she's missing?" His voice had a hard edge to it, and Mallory immediately became defensive.

"She left, Tim, and no one knows where she is. I got a message on my voicemail today from her, saying that she loved me very much and that she hoped I would understand. I haven't talked to her in two days, and her phone's going straight to voicemail. None of our other friends have talked to her either. Tim, I'm really worried."

"Me too, Mallory," Tim said succinctly, before flipping the phone shut. Kate hadn't been at his apartment when he'd returned the previous night, and most of her stuff had been gone as well. She was efficient, if nothing else. Tim pictured the apartment in his mind, going over it with the eyes of a CSI. Kate wasn't one for dramatics. There had to be some clue as to where she was. Tim opened his eyes and headed for his bike. He knew just where to look.

Once he arrived home, Tim went straight to the living room. He'd barely noticed the pile of papers on the coffee table the evening before, caring about nothing more than falling face down in bed and going to sleep.

Tim made quick work of the papers, shuffling through them until he found what he was looking for. He should have noticed them last night. Kate was neat to a fault, and leaving such a mess out was very unlike her. Amidst the flurry of bills, mail and magazines was a plain white envelope, with his name printed in Kate's neat script. Tim wasted no time at all in ripping open the envelope and reading the short note inside.

_Dear Timothy,_

_I hope that you will forgive me for my behavior earlier tonight, and that in time you can forgive me for what else I am about to say. I have been keeping something from you, but it wasn't until tonight that I realized why. We were good together, but I believe deep down we both knew that it wasn't meant to be forever. I've thought about walking away without telling you, but I feel that you deserve to know. Timothy, I'm pregnant. _

_I've given the matter a lot of thought, and even though I never felt as though I was cut out for motherhood, I can't give up on this child, even if I am giving up on us. Perhaps now you can better understand why my behavior has been so erratic these last few months. Before this happened I liked you fine for who you were, but when I found out that I was pregnant I thought that you would need to change if you were going to be a good father.  
_

_I'm going home to my parents to have the baby, and I'm not sure where we'll go after that. I know that it is horribly unfair to keep your child from you, Timothy, but I knew that if I told you in person, then you'd insist on doing the honorable thing and marrying me, even though neither one of our hearts would be in it. I hope you can still trust me enough to believe me when I say that this child will be incredibly loved and never want for anything. Please don't try to contact me. It pains me beyond belief to do this to you, but I think in the end it will be the best for all involved. _

_I love you, Timothy, but I'm not in love with you and I don't want to marry you just because of a small complication. I am so sorry._

_Love,  
Kate _

Tim read through the letter once, quickly, and then more slowly a second time. When he was done he crumpled the letter up and threw it across the room, swearing under his breath as he did so.

_What nerve,_ he thought. In an instant, his mind was made up. He quickly threw some clothes in an overnight bag and headed outside. Kate must have forgotten that she'd told him where her parents lived. He wasn't about to let this go so easily.

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He was almost to I-95 when he felt his phone vibrate. "Shit," he muttered. He knew without checking that it was Calleigh. They'd made loose plans to grab some dinner after work, both knowing that a late afternoon murder could wreck said plans instantly. Tim wanted to pull off the road and return Calleigh's call, but he wasn't sure how to justify what he was doing to himself, much less to her. Either way, he had a sick feeling in his stomach that whatever might have been about to happen between them was ending before it could even begin. Even if Calleigh was willing to forgive his behavior, he would never be able to forgive himself, and he refused to let her break her heart over someone as pathetic as him. He loved Calleigh deeply, without reservation; even though he would always be too busy making a mess of his life to be in a relationship with her.

Tim made good time out of Miami, considering that it was nearly six pm when he left, heading out of town with everyone else. Still, it was almost midnight by the time he hit the city limits of Jacksonville and decided to pull over for the evening. It was at least another 120 miles to Savannah, and there was no way he was about to venture out onto the coastal island that her parents lived on in the middle of the night. He probably wouldn't even be able to get on the island without bypassing some sort of security checkpoint. Kate had never said too much about her upbringing, but he'd always had the impression that her parents were extremely well-to-do.

Disheartened, Tim pulled off into the nearest motel parking lot that looked halfway affordable. For once he was glad that it was hurricane season. If he'd gone chasing after Kate during peak tourist season, he wouldn't have even been able to afford the crappy motel he'd chosen. Tim checked in with the sleepy-eyed clerk, grabbed his key and headed off to his room.

Once inside, Tim went to throw his duffel bag on the floor, then thought better of it and sat it down gingerly on the dresser. The dresser probably wasn't much cleaner than the floor, but it was worth a shot. Tim hated hotel rooms, having processed too many to live under the delusion that they were clean. He sat gingerly on the edge of the bed, testing the box springs. They gave easily under his weight, and Tim sighed. He reached forward and plucked the remote off the TV. He depressed the power button, which stuck after he removed his thumb. Tim tossed the remote aside and then leaned forward to turn the TV on by hand, but it wasn't cooperating either.

Tim sighed and flopped back on the bed. There was only one thing left to do now, and that was to call Calleigh, something he'd rather put off for eternity. Still, she deserved to know that he wasn't lying dead in a ditch somewhere, and he certainly didn't want Horatio breaking the news to her tomorrow.

Tim first put in a quick call to Horatio, letting him know that he would need a few days off to take care of some personal matters. As always, Horatio's brief answer implied that he knew exactly what was going on.

"If that's what you think you need to do, Speed."

"I'll call Calleigh and let her know," Tim offered weakly.

"You do that," he said gravely. "You do that. And Speed, before you call her, make sure you know exactly what you want, ok?"

Tim had no answer to that, so he mumbled a goodbye and snapped the phone shut. Know exactly what he wanted? Hell, Tim had no idea. Actually, all he wanted was for this whole mess with Kate to have never happened. He wanted to have kissed Calleigh all those months before when he first had the chance. He wanted to be back in Miami right now, kissing Calleigh on her doorstep. He wanted to hear her offer for him to come inside and say yes when she did. He wanted to find out if Calleigh really was a night owl who stayed up too late watching MTV. He wanted to discover where on her body she'd gotten the tatoo. He wanted to know what it was like to wake up in the morning with Calleigh in his arms.

He wanted his heart to stop aching.

Unfortunately, everything he wanted was impossible, and the one thing he didn't want to do, call Calleigh and tell her the truth, was the only thing he had to do.

Tim closed his eyes and begged for mercy from a God he'd long since abandoned, hoping that his younger years as a reluctant altar boy had bought him some leniency with the Almighty.

His only answer was the steady hum of the ice machine that lay just beyond the wall of his room.

Tim opened his eyes and flipped open his phone, dialing a number he already knew by heart. On the second ring, Calleigh's warm voice filled the line, and Tim's mouth turned to sawdust.

"Cal? It's me. There's something I need to tell you…"

_The End_


End file.
